Alec Baldwin to be indicted for 'involuntary manslaughter' by New Mexico prosecutor

On Thursday, January 19, the Santa Fe District Attorney’s Office made an announcement about actor Alec Baldwin: He is being charged with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during work on the movie “Rust” in New Mexico in October 2021.

According to the Wall Street Journal’s Katherine Sayre, “The film’s armorer overseeing weapons, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, will also be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the incident, according to a statement from Santa Fe-area District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies. The charges are expected to be filed by the end of the month. The film’s first assistant director, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to the statement.”

Sayre notes that under New Mexico state law, involuntary manslaughter is a “fourth-degree felony that carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.”

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“During preparations for a scene,” Sayre recalls, “Baldwin discharged a live round from a revolver, killing 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins. The film’s director, Joel Souza, was wounded…. Both Mr. Halls and Ms. Gutierrez-Reed handled the gun before it was given to Mr. Baldwin for the rehearsal, in which the actor was practicing pulling out the revolver.”

Sayre adds, “According to affidavits from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Mr. Halls took one of three prop guns laid out on a rolling cart and handed it to Mr. Baldwin to film the scene. Mr. Halls yelled ‘cold gun,’ indicating the firearm didn’t have live rounds. Mr. Baldwin took the gun and fired it, one of the affidavits said. Investigators have also questioned Ms. Gutierrez-Reed’s actions as the person in charge of guns and ammunition on set.”

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